Variations on Birthday Cake for a 27th (gasp) Birthday- Washington, DC

Tags

birthday cake, birthdays, cupcakes, hello cupcake, kafe leopold, may 21

I dread getting older, but I have these amazing friends who seem to cook up these incredible experiences for me every year.  For some reason, I’ve come to unfoundedly fear my birthday, and I always end up in the most incredible places.  This year was an amazing brunch trip to Woodberry Kitchen in Baltimore with three of my best girls, Laura, Anna and Becky.  Last year was tapas in Amsterdam with Gea and the Plantinga sibs + Claire + Xav, the year prior was complete strangers and military wives in Boise, Idaho, cooking me up a surprise cake, and new friends Becky, Alexis and Erica taking me for Karaoke.  I could keep going on and on, blabbing and blabbing, but because of all of the random and wonderful diversions I no longer have anything really to fear when May 21 rolls around every year.  My friends always do it right and show me a good time.

That being said, no matter how cool your friends are, everybody needs a good birthday cake.  Or in my state, four cakes.

This is how my weekend started:  (courtesy of my DC “domestic partner” Laura: 4 cupcakes from Hello Cupcake in Dupont.)  I have to admit that I shared with my NY bestie, Becky, so I’m only responsible for killing three of them off (hence, three empty cupcake holes.)

This is how the morning of birthday started (and ended, at midnight, with a cake snack fest with myself and a fork): My mom (and my dog, strangely enough) singing me happy birthday with a homemade caramel/chocolate bee cake.  Yeehaw.

This is how you reward yourself for being older (and hopefully wiser): cake and tarts from Kafe Leopold in Georgetown.  Very much worth the trip on the rainy (but wonderful) birthday brunch day with Mummy.

Kafe Leopold

3318 M Street Northwest

www.kafeleopolds.com

Hello Cupcake

1351 Connecticut Avenue Northwest

www.hellocupcakeonline.com

Donuts, Waffles, Sangria, Churros, Chocolate, Gelato and Jam. (Part Two). Chicago, IL

Tags

Black Dog Gelato, Chicago Food, Chicago Snacks, Churros, Clementine Toffee, Doughnut Vault, Gingerbread Stack, Goat Cheese Gelato, Mexican Hot Chocolate, Olive Oil Almond Gelato, Rick Bayless Xoco, Sunshine Caramels, Vosges Chocolates, Xoco Chicago

Since I’ve mentioned Gelato, Churros, Donuts and Chocolate in the lead title of this post it obviously didn’t stop there.  I just kept eating.  How this happens, I have no idea.  So, the following day I ended up picking up some chocolate for my Mom at Vosges.  Vosges Chocolates has been a Chicago institution for a while now.  You’ve probably seen the artisan chocolate bars at your local Whole Foods since they’re pretty popular now, but if you check out the shop on Armitage (or elsewhere in the city) you’ll find treats like “Sunshine Caramels” or “Clementine Ginger Toffee” along with a chocolate tasting bar that has in-house hot chocolates and gelato.  Delish.  

The following morning I continued my quest to get as many cavities as possible in one sitting, so I followed the roads to Doughnut Vault.  This place is about as charming as it gets, and you could almost miss it.  My dad worked in the exact same neighborhood as Doughnut Vault, but I had no idea it was a stone’s throw away from his old workplace.  The Vault opens at 8:30 AM during the week, and by the time I parked the car (9:17) the only Doughnuts left were the Gingerbread Stack.  Although they may not have the selection of the donuts I crave at Federal Donut in Philly, I could easily see myself stuffing my face with five yummy Gingerbread Stacks.  Lets just say they are easy to eat, and probably the first thing you’d go to if you lived or worked nearby and had a shitty day.  I might even go out on a limb and say that these donuts could get you through a breakup. Plus, the girl who was working there that day was super nice to let me take a closeup photo of the donuts fresh out of the oven on the rack behind the counter!  Actually, girls who work in donut shops are always cool.  Maybe I need to work in a donut shop..

Since my inner fat kid wasn’t satisfied with eating donuts and I obviously have a problem, I walked across the street to Rick Bayless’ Xoco for an authentic hot chocolate and churros.  I’ve been trying to go to Frontera all year, and since I keep getting denied by the perils of OpenTable not having a reservation for me, Xoco has proven to be a worthy take-out substitute, although I still prefer (ironically) the Tortas shop in O’Hare’s Airport.

The only appropriate way to end a trip to Chicago would be “drive-by” gelato.  Friends, meet Black Dog Gelato in Ukrainian Village.  Gaby, Michael, Em and I decided to stop at this spot and eat up flavors like Sesame Fig, Goat Cheese Cashew, and Olive Oil Almond.  WOW.  This place is on a charming little corner with some benches, and I had no idea that I had a personal connection to the place via my godmother.  (There’s some sort of Ferris Bueller-esque “friends of friends” connection, but still!)  I will for sure be stopping by there whenever I hit up Chicago again.  For now, though, memories of my friends in a gelato shop at 11pm will have to suffice.  I miss them and the gelato already.

Black Dog Gelato

859 North Damen

www.blackdogchicago.com

Xoco

449 North Clark

www.rickbayless.com/restaurants/xoco.html

The Doughnut Vault

400 North Franklin Street

www.thedoughnutvault.tumblr.com

Vosges Chocolates

951 West Armitage

www.vosgeschocolate.com

Donuts, Waffles, Sangria, Churros, Chocolate, Gelato and Jam. (Part One) -Chicago, IL

Tags

Chicago Food, Eggs Benny, Floriole Bakery, Green Tea Waffles, Jam Chicago, South Loop Brunch, Waffles, Waffles Benny, White Sangria

Just so we’re clear, this is how I eat when I’m on the road.  All of the basic food groups are equally represented.  Obviously.

The best part about this is that my friends in Chicago (Emily, Michael and Gaby) go along with this without complaint.  I research a little bit and find some spots I want to check out (or in this case, half-way through the trip, I stumbled upon “Rather: Chicago” and started letting that little book guide my culinary pursuits) and my friends follow suit.

The sugar high starts with Michael and I going on our first brunch date (awww!) to Jam in Logan Square.  When we first got there, it seemed hip and trendy, but not too packed, BUT by the time we left and the rain mounted, the line was out the door, so if you’re gonna check this place out, try to go on the earlier side.  Brunch there is delicious!

I went for Jam’s take on Eggs Benny while Michael opted for Guisado Verde.  The whole meal was started by an Lime Tequilla muffin.  NOM NOM!

Next stop on the eating tour-de-force was to the South Loop with Emily (ie, my boo) to Waffles.

Yes, this place is named Waffles.  PS, it was Time Out Chicago’s top place for brunch this year.  After trekking down there on “Emily and Maggie’s Day Off” it became obvious why.  This place is bitchin.

Per the suggestion from our awesome server, Em picked up the Waffles Benny.   Ho-ly.  Crap.  SO GOOD.  I opted for lighter (yes, lighter) fare with the Green Tea Waffles.  Paired with some savory sides of eggs and potatoes, and you’re ready to roll right out of this place.  Go.  Its different, yummy, cheap, and did I mention incredible?

…An obvious segue to this meal is having your nails did at Hollywood Nails (a place that will def be written and photographed on my next Chicago trip) where we watched Maury in massage chairs that grab your ass (but in a good way) and had our nails done by the fantastic guys who work at the joint.  After this, daydrinking is appropriate, so we ended up at Floriole Bakery for some nice and refreshing (very grapefruit-y) White Sangria.

Floriole Bakery

1220 West Webster Avenue

www.floriole.com

Waffles

1400 South Michigan Avenue

www.waffleschicago.com

Jam

3057 West Logan Blvd

www.jamrestaurant.com

 

Homelife. – Washington, DC

Tags

Homecooked Meals, Homelife, Mommymade, Puppy, Scottish Terrier

Something definetly worth mentioning is that when I’m not galavanting around the world looking for my next meal, or trolling around for trinkets and cool people, I’m at home, usually with a cup of coffee, sitting with my puppy and eating something my mommy made.  The whole reason I’m obsessed with food the way I am probably stems from her!  (Although, my dog is pretty hungry too so maybe that’s a motivating force?)  Here’s some of my mom’s favorite comfort food dishes from this week, also now known as “Mommymade.”  I’ll try to do snapshots of these more often- she’s the best!

Baby Burgs!

Asparagus Salad!

Scottish Porridge and Fresh Berries.

NOM NOM.  And then, just to up the cuteness factor, here’s some shots of my favorite companion, my Scottish Terrier, Weenie.  Yes, my dog is named after the pug from Eloise.  And yes, she is a girl.  She also (as you will see) sleeps in a bed that is far too small for her.

Eastern Market- Washington, DC

Tags

Capitol Hill, Coffee, donuts, Eastern Market, Hand Pour Coffee, migue's mini donuts, Sunday Market, vigilante coffee company, Washington DC

Sunday snapshots!  Today, my friend Laura (the queen of candy) and I popped our Eastern Market cherries.  There’s some “bad for you” food stalls, a hand pour coffee spot, some flea finds, the market itself, and some jewelry, photos, knick-knacks, etc.  I thoroughly enjoyed finding it, even though I wished there was some more produce (although maybe later in the season there will be, so I’m holding out hope for later).

   So, for now we will dream of donuts and coffee….

  Eastern Market

(Look for Vigilante Coffee and Migue’s Magnificent Mini Donuts!)

225 7th Street Southeast, Washington DC

www.easternmarket-dc.org

A (mostly) Vegan Extravaganza- Los Angeles, CA

Tags

Bennett's Ice Cream, Bonita, Cafe Gratitude, Farmer's Markets LA, Flore, Lark Bakery, Littlejohn Toffee, Los Angeles, Mama's Tamales, Pupusas, Real Food Daily, Silverlake, Tamales, Vegan Food, Vegan Food LA

LA is kinda like Texas in the sense that it’s so different from the rest of the States that you feel like you’re going to a whole other country.  Honestly, I kinda was confused by it… but I really loved diving into it.  I enjoy that its such a different counter-culture within the US that you feel like you’re getting something radically different.  Sure, you have to drive around a LOT and there is some sort of painful hipster element at the Intelligensia in Silver Lake, but the food is REALLY good (and a change from anything you’d get on the East Coast) and the sunshine is undeniably refreshing.

And here we are, the Christine + Maggie crusades to eat as much vegan food as humanly possible tour de force.  Plates to check out include:

 ”I am Bonita” from Cafe Gratitude.

Eastsider Tacos from Flore.

Tamales (above and below) from Mama’s Tamales.  Cupcakes (above and below) from Lark Bakery.

  And to round it out…. Tac-o the Town from Real Food Daily.

LA also has some mighty impressive farmer’s markets.  I really like the manageability of the one in Silverlake.  I also totally dig the pupusas.

  The Hollywood Farmer’s Market has probably the most selection and choice, so it’s definitely worth checking out.  The LA Farmer’s Market (attached to famed mall, The Grove) is a little bit of an epic shitshow with strangers, but if actual food stalls are your thing, you should check out Bennett’s Ice Cream (sorry about my cuticles, friends) and Littlejohn’s Toffee.

And now, off to Bikram to sweat out everything I ate this week. But..it was worth it.

Real Food Daily- 514 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica CA

Flore Vegan- 3818 West Sunset Blvd

Cafe Gratitude Los Angeles- 639 Larchmont Blvd

Lark Bakery- 3337 West Sunset Blvd

Mama’s Tamales- 2122 West 7th Street

LA Farmers Market- Third and Halifax

Silverlake Farmers Market- 3700 Sunset Blvd

Hollywood Farmers Market- 1600 Ivar Avenue

Vol de Nuit- The Village, NYC

Tags

Beer, Belgian Beer Bars, Frites and Beer, NYC, Tripel Karmeliet, Vol de Nuit

My friend Troy hipped me to this place my last visit, and I’m glad he did, because its the only place I’ve seen Tripel Karmeliet beer on tap in the US.

Best. Beer. Ever.

The following is what happens when you and your friend go and drink a couple Karmeliets and grab some fries.  Pascal is such a ham!

  Go grab a beer there sometime!

Vol de Nuit

148 West 4th, NYC

www.voldenuitbar.com

Oh my! OMOI – Philadelphia, PA

Tags

omoi, Philadelphia, shopping, stationary, zakka shop

Oh yeah, OMOI is really cool too!  Kate and I ran into this spot on my way out of Philly.  I love places that remind me of other places that have trinkets from everywhere.  The owner, Liz (who is super sweet and hip) carries those “tous les jours” notebooks, a fun-fest of items from Japan, a ton of really crafty stationary and various knick-knacks.  Basically, everything you’d want to spend your loose change on.  Makes me nostalgic of little boutiques in Brussels.

OMOI

1608 Pine Street, Philadelphia

www.omoionline.com

Federal Donuts- Philadelphia, PA

Tags

donuts, federal donuts, fried chicken, Philadelphia, south philly

Man, I am fucking impressed with South Philly.  Talk about a place that has its’ food shit together.

So, courtesy of Kate’s fiance, Mike, we ended up at Federal Donuts before we were meeting up with my Nouna’s daughter Eleni and her new baby, Melina at a.kitchen near Rittenhouse Square.  It’s probably a bad idea to eat six donuts in one sitting with one of your college besties before you’re supposed to meet someone else for lunch, but honestly, I don’t really give a damn.  Federal Donuts is so amazing that its worth getting cellulite.

Kate and I attempted to eat a little bit of everything.  All of the donuts were incredible, but I think its safe to say that the favorites were the Vanilla-Lavender and the Halva-Pistachio.  Pared with a cup of coffee, and it can’t be beat.  Also, I really liked the people who worked there.  I mean, anybody who advertises “coffee, donuts, and chicken” as their tagline is full of greatness.  Plus, that chick behind the counter pointed us in the right direction donut-wise.  And she had AWESOME tattoos.

PS: If you go into Federal just shy of noon, you can order six different flavors of Fried Chicken.  True story.

Federal Donuts

1219 South 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA

www.federaldonuts.com

 

Sauca- Arlington, VA

Tags

arlington, cafe sazon, carne asada, columbia pike, sauca, tres leches

Saturday night started just off Columbia pike with my friends Christine, Laura, and a bunch of new Brazilian friends.  Christine has sworn by this places’ food trucks for a while so she wanted to check out.  Behold, Sauca!

Things I am certain of after having checked this place out:

1) You can’t eat Carne Asada successfully without a steak knife.  Get steak knives!

2) This place definitely used to be a Waffle House at some point in its life.

I’m not sure really what to make of Sauca.  I mean, don’t get me wrong: I’m all about weird, but…  Adorned with hookahs, two flat screen computers (perhaps for live music later), along with several different forms of lighting and paint color, this place is having a nationality crisis.  If you look at the sign in front of the restaurant, it reads, “Eat the world.”  I guess?  I can see how this place would make a good food truck because of its abundance in choice, but for whatever reason it just seems a little cliché or contrived when stuffed into a former 1950′s Pancake House.  Or Waffle House.  Or whatever.

Either way, I can’t fault it too hard: the eccentricity of the surroundings gave me and my new-found friends something to ice break over!  The food for me was good (although some of my other friends seemed happier with what they chose), and the service was really hospitable (the owner did come by with free shots on the house, which was quite considerate), but for me personally, what’s really worth discovering is the Bolivian Bakery next door: Cafe Sazon.  Those tres leches cookies are amazing.

Sauca- 4707 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA

Cafe Sazon- 4704 Columbia Pike, Arlington VA